US food-tech company Voyage Foods is opening a new facility in Ohio to produce its cocoa-free chocolates, nut-free spreads and bean-free coffee. 

The 284,000 sq ft plant in the town of Mason, which is expected to be operational by the new year, will boost the company's manufacturing capabilities, with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of chocolate. 

Oakaland, California-based Voyage’s expansion follows a partnership with US agri-food giant Cargill, established in April, which positioned the latter as Voyage's exclusive B2B global distributor for its spreads and chocolate.  

The new facility will bolster Voyage's ability to meet the growing demand from other manufacturers and the foodservice channel, the company said.

It is also hoping to take advantage of a cocoa shortage, exacerbated by adverse weather conditions in major cocoa-producing countries such as Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. 

The forecast is for a 11% decline in global cocoa production for the 2023-2024 period, falling to 4.37 million tonnes.  

Voyage's product portfolio includes Peanut-Free Roasted Seed Spread and Hazelnut-Free Roasted Seed Spread, both free from the top nine allergens.

Voyage states that its products are made from affordable, commonly available plant-based ingredients, many of which are upcycled from waste and byproducts. 

To date, Voyage Foods has secured more than $94m in backing from investors.  

The Ohio facility's construction has been supported by a guaranteed loan of approximately $25m from the US Department of Agriculture.